2 Samuel 15

1 After this, Absalom prepared a chariot and horses for himself, and fifty men to run before him.

Sometime later, Absalom got himself a chariot with horses, and fifty men as bodyguards to run ahead of him.

2 Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate. When any man had a suit which should come to the king for judgment, then Absalom called to him, and said, “What city are you from?” He said, “Your servant is of one of the tribes of Israel.”

He used to get up early and stand by the main road that led to the city gate. When people brought a case to the king for his decision, Absalom would call out and ask them, “What town are you from?” If they replied, “Your servant is from this particular tribe of Israel,”

3 Absalom said to him, “Behold, your matters are good and right; but there is no man deputized by the king to hear you.”

Absalom would tell them, “Look, you're in the right and you've got a good case. It's such a shame there's no one from the king to hear you.”

4 Absalom said moreover, “Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man who has any suit or cause might come to me, and I would do him justice!”

Then he would say, “If only there was someone to appoint me as judge for the country. Then everyone could come to me with their case or complaint, and I would give them justice.”

5 It was so, that when any man came near to bow down to him, he stretched out his hand, took hold of him, and kissed him.

When anyone came to bow down before him, Absalom would stop them by reaching out his hand, taking hold of him, and kissing him.

6 Absalom did this sort of thing to all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

This is how Absalom treated all the Israelites who came to the king for his judgment. So he captured the loyalty of the men of Israel.

7 At the end of forty years, Absalom said to the king, “Please let me go and pay my vow, which I have vowed to the LORD, in Hebron.

Four years later Absalom asked the king, “Please let me go to Hebron to fulfill a promise I made to the Lord.

8 For your servant vowed a vow while I stayed at Geshur in Syria, saying, ‘If the LORD shall indeed bring me again to Jerusalem, then I will serve the LORD.’”

For I, your servant, made this promise while living at Geshur in Aram, saying: ‘If the Lord does bring me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.’”

9 The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he arose and went to Hebron.

“Go in peace,” said the king. So Absalom went to Hebron.

10 But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron!’”

Then Absalom sent his accomplices among all the tribes of Israel, saying, “When you hear the sound of the ram's horn, you shout, ‘Absalom is king at Hebron!’”

11 Two hundred men went with Absalom out of Jerusalem, who were invited, and went in their simplicity; and they didn’t know anything.

Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom. They had been invited and went in all innocence, because they didn't know anything about what was planned.

12 Absalom sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he was offering the sacrifices. The conspiracy was strong, for the people increased continually with Absalom.

While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David's advisor, asking him to come from Giloh, the town where he lived. The conspiracy grew stronger, and Absalom's followers went on increasing.

13 A messenger came to David, saying, “The hearts of the men of Israel are after Absalom.”

A messenger came to tell David, “Absalom has the loyalty of the men of Israel.”

14 David said to all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem, “Arise! Let’s flee, or else none of us will escape from Absalom. Hurry to depart, lest he overtake us quickly and bring down evil on us, and strike the city with the edge of the sword.”

David said to all the officials with him in Jerusalem, “Quick! Let's go! Otherwise we won't be able to get away from Absalom! We must leave immediately, or he will soon catch up with us, attack us, and kill the people here in the city.”

15 The king’s servants said to the king, “Behold, your servants are ready to do whatever my lord the king chooses.”

“Whatever Your Majesty decides, we'll do what you want,” the king's servants replied.

16 The king went out, and all his household after him. The king left ten women, who were concubines, to keep the house.

The king set off with his whole household following him, but he left behind ten concubines to look after the palace.

17 The king went out, and all the people after him; and they stayed in Beth Merhak.

The king left with all his soldiers following him. He stopped at the last house,

18 All his servants passed on beside him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the Gittites, six hundred men who came after him from Gath, passed on before the king.

and all his men marched past him, including all the Cherethites and Pelethites, and six hundred Gittites who had come with him from Gath.

19 Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why do you also go with us? Return, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner and also an exile. Return to your own place.

The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why are you coming with us too? Go back and stay with the new king, because you are a foreigner and an exile a long way from home.

20 Whereas you came but yesterday, should I today make you go up and down with us, since I go where I may? Return, and take back your brothers. Mercy and truth be with you.”

You only just got here, so why should I make you wander around with us now when I don't even know where I am going? Go back and take your men with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”

21 Ittai answered the king and said, “As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, surely in what place my lord the king is, whether for death or for life, your servant will be there also.”

But Ittai answered the king, “As the Lord lives, and as Your Majesty lives, wherever Your Majesty may be, whether dead or alive, that's where your servant will be!”

22 David said to Ittai, “Go and pass over.” Ittai the Gittite passed over, and all his men, and all the little ones who were with him.

“Go ahead, march on!” David replied. Ittai the Gittite marched past with all his men and all the families that were with him.

23 All the country wept with a loud voice, and all the people passed over. The king also himself passed over the brook Kidron, and all the people passed over toward the way of the wilderness.

All the people in the countryside were crying aloud as everyone with David passed by. They crossed the Kidron Valley with the king on the way toward the wilderness.

24 Behold, Zadok also came, and all the Levites with him, bearing the ark of the covenant of God; and they set down God’s ark; and Abiathar went up until all the people finished passing out of the city.

Zadok was there too, and all the Levites were with him, carrying the Ark of God's Agreement. They set down the Ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until everyone had left the city.

25 The king said to Zadok, “Carry God’s ark back into the city. If I find favor in the LORD’s eyes, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation;

Then the king told Zadok, “Take the Ark of God back to the city. If I find the Lord approves of me, he will bring me back and let me see both the Ark and his Tent again.

26 but if he says, ‘I have no delight in you,’ behold, here I am. Let him do to me as seems good to him.”

But if he says, ‘I'm not happy with you,’ then here I stand. Let him do to me whatever he thinks best.”

27 The king said also to Zadok the priest, “Aren’t you a seer? Return into the city in peace, and your two sons with you, Ahimaaz your son and Jonathan the son of Abiathar.

The king also told Zadok the priest, “You understand the situation, don't you? Go back to the city safely with your son Ahimaaz, and also Jonathan, son of Abiathar. You and Abiathar take both of your sons back with you.

28 Behold, I will stay at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.”

I'll wait at the fords of the wilderness until I hear from you.”

29 Zadok therefore and Abiathar carried God’s ark to Jerusalem again; and they stayed there.

Zadok and Abiathar took the Ark of God back to Jerusalem and remained there.

30 David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, and wept as he went up; and he had his head covered and went barefoot. All the people who were with him each covered his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up.

David went on his way up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he did so. He had his head covered, and walked barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads, weeping as they went along.

31 Someone told David, saying, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” David said, “LORD, please turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.”

David was told, “Ahithophel is one of the people conspiring with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, please make Ahithophel's advice worthless.”

32 When David had come to the top, where God was worshiped, behold, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his tunic torn and earth on his head.

When David arrived at the top of the Mount of Olives, where people worshiped God, there to meet him was Hushai the Archite, with his robe torn and with dust on his head.

33 David said to him, “If you pass on with me, then you will be a burden to me;

David told him, “If you come with me, you'll only be a burden to me,

34 but if you return to the city, and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, O king. As I have been your father’s servant in time past, so I will now be your servant; then will you defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel.’

but if you go back to the city and tell Absalom, ‘I will be your servant, Your Majesty! Formerly I worked for your father, but now I'll work for you,’ then you can block Ahithophel's advice for me.

35 Don’t you have Zadok and Abiathar the priests there with you? Therefore whatever you hear out of the king’s house, tell it to Zadok and Abiathar the priests.

Zadok and Abiathar, the priests, will be there too. Tell them everything you hear in the king's palace.

36 Behold, they have there with them their two sons, Ahimaaz, Zadok’s son, and Jonathan, Abiathar’s son. Send to me everything that you shall hear by them.”

Their two sons, Ahimaaz and Jonathan, are there with them. Send them to me so they can tell me everything you hear.”

37 So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city; and Absalom came into Jerusalem.

David's friend Hushai arrived back in Jerusalem at the same time Absalom was entering the city.